...

I did read it. Ann Jones has a very specific view of our society, hardly unbiased at all. So, it's pretty challenging to make it through an article that is so biased...it's just difficult to continue reading all of the way through. Ignoring the American-bashing, it reads like a brochure touting a system without any critical analysis. Anyway, maybe you didn't notice, be she sets up lots of straw-dogs in describing our situation here, and then uses those to compare to Norway. No mention that Norway has a population of only 5 million and landmass of only 148,718 square miles. These two factors alone change the dynamic drastically (the USA has 318.9 million and 3.806 million square miles). If you're putting this article on the table as a serious argument for the further socialization of our country, I don't know what to say that wouldn't make d4rk burst into flames. I mean, the kind of reasoning in that article is the QVC of political intellectualism.

Muddy muddy muddy! Attack attack attack! Okay, let's muddy up the thread. You started this. So, if this thread is supposed to be "no holds barred"...what does that mean? When you're playing goal, before the game do you tell the other team "slapshots are okay, but not too hard, okay?" "Please no two-on-one breaks, they're difficult to handle."

So, what, are you this thread's policeman? You're banning me from the thread? No? Take it up with a moderator, then. YOU are going to muddy it up by wasting pages and pages trying to shout me out of it, not me. I have a different point of view than you - deal with it. Put your money where your mouth is, grow up yourself, and tolerate a dissenting viewpoint no matter how uncomfortable it is to you. That's what you preach, right? No wonder you think the thread is "civil" - it's because you won't let anyone who you disagree with participate. Oh, absolutely. Our country is backwards and we need to adopt the European model. Of course.

It's civil because there are pages and pages of groupthink and varying levels of complimentary conformity. Very enlightening indeed. And, FWIW, you didn't even give me a chance to get rolling before you attacked me. Very civil and tolerant. Your make English professors proud.

Garbage? This entire thread is garbage. It makes me sad to come in here. This thread is all about: A) The Republicans are always wrong, always the bad guy. Always. B) The democrats are the baseline. What the Republicans do is measured against the "standard" set by the democrats. C) The leftists in this thread can insult and besmirch the right, often times with little jabs and innuendos, and no one says anything. A right-leaning person taking the same jabs at the left? You're the f*&king devil and unfair. D) If your "tolerance, fairness, and balance" is biased towards the democrats, you're okay, no one says anything. If it's biased toward the Republicans, you are the devil (see item C).

That's right, I hate, HATE, all of that. Good argument. Thanks for the discussion. Pancakes?

Wassamattah? Sanders is a self-avowed socialist. His platform is based on socialism. You support him, you support socialism (or worse). It's pretty cut and dry. Unless it's cool to be a socialist now and square to be against it? Am I not with the hip crowd again?

You're a socialist? Oh...so disappointing.

DID WE WIN? I WAS AWAY. WAS IT A GOOD GAME? EVERYONE HAPPY?

Scalia found dead at a Texas resort, due to natural causes. Mmmmmm...suspicious. :ph34r:

Again, I think what's making the future part of this discussion difficult is the present. Presently, contender teams have active contracts from the old CBA. That makes it look like those shenanigans are still possible, when they aren't. And with the economies stagnant, at best, the cap isn't going to go up and allow for big, fat contracts. So either the players screwed themselves out of big pay-days, or the owners screwed themselves from assembling the teams they need to win, with this new CBA.

I think TBphD makes a good point about Stamkos wanting Toews/Kane money, but not deserving it. If the $8.5m/8 year offer by Tampa is considered a low ball offer, then I don't think we should bother with him.

Thank U linesman!

It's disgusting.

No way, we're going to score on ourselves.

I have a great idea for a Bylsma parody.

So, that's what you need to do to get Jack to play physical...take his stick away.

Are you clothed?

After that compelling segment, I believe I am on the side of taking him if the price is right. He is definitely not an at-all-costs acquisition.

Man, this game is crazy.

Easy come, easy go.

Yay Kaner. He's a keeper.

That's saying a lot, right there.

Yay for the old guy!

I could swear Disco Dan said today the power play looked good.